cinereus

Cinereus is a Latin adjective meaning ash-colored or grayish. In taxonomy, it is used as an epithet to describe ash-gray coloration in various organisms, rather than to indicate any close evolutionary relationship.

The term derives from the Latin cinis, ash. In scientific naming, verbs and adjectives must agree in gender with the genus name, producing forms such as cinereus (masculine), cinerea (feminine), and cinereum (neuter). These forms appear in the binomial and in higher taxonomic names when the color description is relevant to the organism’s appearance.

Usage and scope: cinereus and its gendered variants are widely used across zoology, botany, and mycology to denote ash-gray coloration. They describe traits such as fur, plumage, leaves, or bark that exhibit a gray, ash-like hue. The epithet is a descriptive feature, not a taxonomic rank or phylogenetic indicator. In English-language texts, the adjective often appears as “cinereous” or in derivative common names.

Example: The cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus) is a widely cited case where the common name reflects ash-gray plumage described by the epithet’s color meaning, illustrating how the term functions in both scientific and common-language contexts.

Notes: Because cinereus is a descriptive adjective, its use can be found in many genera and species, sometimes multiple times within a single broader group. It is important to consult the original species description to confirm the exact color interpretation and any regional naming conventions.